Reading can shape the way someone perceives the world around them. This is especially true for pieces of literature that possess strong messages and different world views. This is why I believe everyone should read as much as they can, but here's the 10 pieces of literature that even if you don't read often, you should read before you die. These literary works carry messages for the masses and new ways to view the world around you.
1. 1984 by George Orwell
This book is important because it covers themes like censorship and surveillance and how the government uses these as tools of control. It was a novel that opened people's eyes to the way society could be if we lost our right to free speech and privacy.
When it was published and even now, it serves as a reminder to citizens of the world that life without free speech and privacy is a life that you don't want to live. People should read this novel because it can give you a new way to view how governments use their power and help you understand that our rights are worth fighting for.
2. Something by Plato, Aristolte, and Socrates
The writings and teachings of all three of these men are important because they challenge the way people view the world and how things work. These philosophers spent their time trying to figure out the world and see new views that were overlooked before.
That's why everyone should read some of Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates' written work. You may just find a new way of looking at life that makes everything make more sense.
3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Bell Jar tells a story that not all can relate to, but everyone should try and understand. It covers depression in a startling way that many books don't, and it's important because it shows the ugly parts of depression vividly. The reason everyone should read it is to gain a better understanding of the truth of depression and how it can change a person's whole life.
4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Hamlet is important not just because everyone should read at least one of Shakespeare's plays, but also because it carries messages that apply even 400 years later. The main themes of Hamlet such as the uncertainty of death and family still are things people question now.
The endless application of Hamlet to life is why everyone should read it. Hamlet teaches lessons, makes you question the world around you, and it's also entertaining if you actually take the time to understand the jokes.
5. Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes is a series so it's not necessary to read every story, but everyone should read at least one Sherlock story. Sherlock Holmes is important because it has stood the test of time as a pop culture icon. It may seem weird that a person should read something because it's important to pop culture, but pop culture is one of the best reasons to read anything.
If large masses love something, especially for several generations, try to read it. It gives you a better scope of what people in the world enjoy, and in turn you have a better view of the thoughts people have on certain issues that the work covers.
6. An Ernest Hemingway Novel
There's several works of Hemingway's that are important, but in the end you only have to read at least one. Hemingway's novels are important because they specifically cover a generation of writers that had a disillusioned view of the world.
This view causes a new way to see the world around you and expand on your world view. Hemingway also writes about people in various cultures during this time so you can also learn about new cultures, which is always a good thing.
7. Mein Krampf by Adolf Hitler or The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
These two novels are pretty famous and probably a shocker to see on this list, but they have a place here. Everyone should read at least one of these, if not both, because they cover topics many people don't even think about and in pretty radical ways.
These novels are important for people to read and understand because they teach another way of thinking that you don't have to take on, but understanding the thought process behind them can give you a better mindset to view the world. They also probably go against your own set of beliefs, which is another reason to read them.
Learning about things you don't believe in can help solidify your own beliefs, but also teach that something may not be as black and white as you've always believed. It's all about learning to look at life in a different perspective and take what you can from seeing life at that angle.
8. The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
This piece of literature only concerns American citizens, but it's still important to read and understand. These essays are important because they break down the U.S. Constitution and interpret it for people to understand. It's also important because these essays are the reason the Constitution was ratified, so reading them helps you understand why Americans supported the Constitution and why you should back it too.
9. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Les Mis is considered one of the best novels of the 19th century so everyone should read it just because it's a masterpiece novel, but also because it's a powerful book. Les Mis covers an inspirational story of a man who after serving his sentence, went on to live the best life he could.
Eventually, it covers a group of young boys who try to revolt against the French government. It shows readers that life has endless possibilities, and if you try, you can make your life a life worth living.
10. Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Everyone should read this novel because it tells Viktor's story and it takes his story to add to his theory of how every person has their own meaning for life.
This is important because everyone can use the chance to consider their own personal meaning for life, and it also gives you the chance to learn about a man who survived the Holocaust and how he sees life after his experiences. It's a novel that can teach you the meaning of life and how to hold onto what you have.
